Remote sensing, in which data regarding an object is acquired using sensing devices not in physical contact with the object, has been applied in many different contexts, such as, for example, satellite imaging of planetary surfaces, geological imaging of subsurface features, weather forecasting, and medical imaging of the human anatomy. Remote sensing may thus be accomplished using a variety of technologies, depending on the object to be sensed, the type of data to be acquired, the environment in which the object is located, and other factors.
One remote sensing application of more recent interest is terrestrial vehicle navigation. While automobiles have employed different types of remote sensing systems to detect obstacles and the like for years, sensing systems capable of facilitating more complicated functionality, such as autonomous vehicle control, remain elusive.